Does Anyone Else Mask Their Anxiety?

[Rumors]

Went to bed and woke up with a higher level of anxiety than normal. I go through phases where my anxiety spikes. Sometimes it is due to work, family, memories, etc. but to the outside world it is just like I am coasting along. I don't really share my anxiety nor do I outwardly have symptoms that the general public or friends would recognize. I just get anxious inside and amped up but no one knows. I go to therapy tomorrow and I really want to tell him but I don't know why I am anxious right now so I am tempted not to bring it up until I know what is going on.
I guess I wonder if anyone else tools along and no one notices your anxiety. Do other people hide it? If so, how do you relieve it? I have realized I have stuffed my anxiety ALL OF MY LIFE! No one has ever known that I suffer and at times it is just horrible. I panic driving down the road sometimes. Anyway, help! Even typing this I am anxious...like I am telling some secret that I shouldn't tell. I hate this....

 

[Ruinedforever]

Sometimes, for me, nothing will simply trigger the anxiety. Sometimes I just wake up anxious. But (for both you and me) probably all the stress, memories, etc will all build up and compile into anxiety. I think you should tell your therapist, even though you may not know the exact "cause" of the anxiety attack.
If it's causing you this much distress, talk to your doctor about it if you can. Mine put me in some low-dose benzos and it helps when the symptoms arise.

 

[GardenGirl0214]

At times I have tried to hide my anxiety, but the physical symptoms are so strong that I usually can't hide it for very long. I would definitely mention it to your therapist tomorrow, We don't always know what is causing our anxiety, and part of a therapist's job is to help us figure it out. Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon!

 

[sonicwhite]

You are a very strong person. I wished I had the will power you have. I take klonopin which really isn't working anymore so my pdoc want me and my therapist to work on skills to better combat the anxiety instead of looking towards something like a benzo.

If I where you I would stay away from benzos. You have done good so far and just tell the therapist and see what y'all can come up with. Best of luck to ya.

 

[Justmehere]

I hide my anxiety much of the time. If I didn't hide it, I would probably be in a constant panic attack.

Some attempts of hiding anxiety is simply coping with it and trying to be in the world.

Some of my hiding my anxiety and stuffing it leads to it all coming out sideways.

Sharing anxiety can be a vulnerable act, and it makes sense to me that you might be anxious to do something new. Hiding anxiety is something you may have learned to do to survive trauma. I hope you do share with him how you are feeling so anxious,,whenever you are ready to do so. You ate by no means alone in this. :hug:

 

[Satuma]

I couldnt hide my anxiety when its bad.. impossible.

I usually wake up anxious. Pretty sure its from bad dreams though I seldom remember them.

 

[SoSadGuilty]

I think I'm hiding my anxiety but then I realise I'm obviously doing a crap job because people comment on how anxious I get. I openly admit I'm suffering from anxiety to my boss and colleagues now as I've been off sick so much this year. It is hard to admit as it makes me feel I'm a failure and unable to do my job.

 

[ladee]

I haven't thought about this in a long time. I hide my anxiety, depending on who I am around, or where I am... I have lived with it all my life, so when I get in the car after shopping, and I just set there a second , and finally breathe... that is just normal for me... I can't stay in a yoga pose my entire life...If it's really bad that day, I stay home if I can. I no longer work so that has helped tremendously...I don't have to suit up in all that 'armor' everyday before leaving the house... I really feel that most people we come in contact with today , are anxious.. It's a scary world we live in.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I cannot hide my anxiety from my daughter and her boyfriend, am very open about it. I too have anxiety spikes that I do not know what is causing it but lately I have been able to trace it back. I hope that you feel better soon. I hate having anxiety spikes especially. I did not have anxiety before but I sure do now.

 

[jaccat]

I don't show any of the 'common' signs of anxiety. I was once (before being told I have PTSD) diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder, but it was funny because the guy who 'diagnosed' me said ' but you don't have any of the signs'!

I internalise it. I get stomach cramps and other lovely symptoms. Or I get really really tense. I'm good (bad) at ignoring it, but I'm trying to face the things that make me anxious with the idea that repeated exposure to them will make me less anxious. Problem being new things keep coming up in thir place!

 

[EveHarrington]

Most of the time I don't know why I'm anxious. If I didn't tell my therapist about my anxiety until I knew what was going on, she would never know that I had anxiety issues.

 

[Ruinedforever]

Sometimes I have nightmares that I don't remember right away, or sometimes at all, and that's another reason why I wake up anxious.